Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Intervention for the United Arab Emirates ,
15^th Session

As Delivered by Kim d’Auria Vazira
Geneva,
January 28, 2013

The United States welcomes H.E. Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the delegation of the United Arab Emirates.

We commend the UAE for improving some protections for migrant workers, including implementing procedures to identify victims of forced labor.

Additionally, we commend steps the UAE is taking to protect children and women including educational campaigns on domestic violence and harassment faced by children with disabilities, and the Virtual Global Task Force protecting children from online abuse and sexual exploitation.

However, we remain concerned that political activists have been arrested and held without charge.  We expect the government to meet its commitment to bring detainees to a fair trial in a timely and transparent manner.

We are also concerned about expanded regulations and punishments against individuals criticizing rulers or calling for demonstrations online.  These violate the principles of Freedom of Expression.

Finally, we are deeply concerned by discrimination and violence against LGBT individuals as well as reports of their detention, imprisonment, and deportation.

We recommend:

1. Allow individuals the right to associate freely and provide expeditious due process for all those accused of crimes;
2. Conduct a public consultation on the Cybercrime law to ensure that the law does not prevent free speech and expression, including religious expression; and
3. Protect the human rights of all individuals, including LGBT individuals, and take appropriate steps to help ensure that protection is provided to the victim and perpetrators are identified and prosecuted.

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